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Buying a Business in Florida

The Numbers

FY2025 Acquisition Loans

628

$777M approved

Median Loan

$769k

FY2020 through FY2025

Loans Since FY2020

2,629

$3.17B in total approvals

Share of U.S. Activity

7.3%

Of change-of-ownership loans

What the Data Says

Florida ranks 3rd of 53 states and territories for change-of-ownership SBA 7(a) lending: 2,629 loans since FY2020, 7% of the national total.

The typical deal runs large: its $769k median loan sits above the $650k midpoint across states, so expect bigger checks and the larger injection and cash flow they need.

Activity is accelerating: FY2025's 628 loans ran ahead of the state's own ~438 a year pace since FY2020.

The most-financed target is full-service restaurants (137 loans), and the 5 most active lenders wrote about 31% of the state's acquisitions, a broad lender field.

Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Florida

  1. 1. Live Oak Banking Company337 loans
  2. 2. The Huntington National Bank239 loans
  3. 3. First Internet Bank of Indiana103 loans
  4. 4. BayFirst National Bank71 loans
  5. 5. Beacon Bank and Trust66 loans

A lender being active in Florida does not require a local branch; several top SBA lenders work nationally. Build a shortlist with Lenders.

What Gets Bought in Florida

  • Full-Service Restaurants137 loans
  • All Other Specialty Trade Contractors105 loans
  • Child Care Services97 loans
  • Landscaping Services85 loans
  • Insurance Agencies and Brokerages84 loans

Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. Where the buyable targets sit in Florida, by county, is in the Florida buying guide.

By Metro Area in Florida

  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

    612 purchase loans, median $905k. Bought most: Child Care Services. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (105).

  • Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

    416 purchase loans, median $740k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (35).

  • Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

    290 purchase loans, median $742k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (25).

  • Jacksonville, FL

    196 purchase loans, median $772k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (21).

  • North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL

    177 purchase loans, median $795k. Bought most: Landscaping Services. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (28).

  • Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

    146 purchase loans, median $627k. Bought most: All Other Specialty Trade Contractors. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (37).

  • Naples-Marco Island, FL

    85 purchase loans, median $630k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (28).

  • Port St. Lucie, FL

    84 purchase loans, median $715k. Bought most: Full-Service Restaurants. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (13).

  • Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

    83 purchase loans, median $680k. Bought most: Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (7).

  • Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

    71 purchase loans, median $755k. Bought most: Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (10).

  • Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL

    67 purchase loans, median $765k. Bought most: All Other Specialty Trade Contractors. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (10).

  • Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL

    59 purchase loans, median $1.00M. Bought most: Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (17).

  • Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL

    55 purchase loans, median $625k. Bought most: Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (12).

  • Punta Gorda, FL

    42 purchase loans, median $565k. Bought most: All Other Specialty Trade Contractors. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (13).

  • Ocala, FL

    38 purchase loans, median $860k. Bought most: Advertising Agencies. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (5).

  • Gainesville, FL

    37 purchase loans, median $853k. Bought most: Nursery and Tree Production. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (3).

  • Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL

    33 purchase loans, median $845k. Bought most: Insurance Agencies and Brokerages. Most active lender: Bankwell Bank (3).

  • Tallahassee, FL

    30 purchase loans, median $792k. Bought most: Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (6).

  • Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL

    24 purchase loans, median $667k. Bought most: Septic Tank and Related Services. Most active lender: The Huntington National Bank (5).

Every metro area that drew 20 purchase loans, with three lenders each, is in the metro table.

Method & Source

Computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level dataset (FY2020 through FY2025), filtered to approvals flagged change of ownership with a Florida project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.